New Zealand keeping close eye on Kiribati action against judges
The New Zealand Government is encouraging Kiribati to ensure its decisions do not negatively affect the judiciary.
The Kiribati Government has tried to deport a High Court judge, Australian David Lambourne, and is holding him in detention.
Meanwhile, the Kiribati Chief Justice, New Zealander Bill Hastings, has been suspended, ostensibly for an article he wrote which the Kiribati Government took exception to.
A spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was following the moves with interest.
The spokesperson said Judge Hastings was appointed according to the Kiribati Constitution and is seconded from the New Zealand District Court.
The appointment is part-funded by the New Zealand International Development Cooperation Programme.
The ministry said New Zealand and Kiribati enjoy a long-standing, warm relationship and a shared commitment to democratic values.
It said judicial independence is crucial for any healthy democracy.
Solomons provincial capital rife with unexploded bombs
A Solomon Islands Police explosives expert says Taro, the capital of Choiseul Province, is heavily contaminated with unexploded bombs (UXOs).
This is after 28 UXOs were removed from the Taro airstrip runway, including projectiles, mortars and bombs.
Police sergeant Selestin Pelleni says the Taro township is listed as category A, which means it is a danger zone or heavily contaminated area full of munitions.
He says other places in the country labelled as category A include parts of Guadalcanal, the Russell Islands, and parts of Western Province.
Cruel killing of giant Galapagos tortoises to be investigated
Ecuador will launch an investigation on the killing of a group of giant Galapagos tortoises in the archipelago.
Several Seychelles islands, including Cousine, have herds of giant tortoises. Photo:
Four of the tortoises are suspected to have been killed on Isabela Island.
The unit for specialised equatorial crimes against the environment and nature will collect evidence from the national park guards and conduct a post-mortem on the animals.
The fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos Archipelago is the responsibility of Ecuador and is considered unique to the world.
Its fauna and flora is highly protected by the Ecuadorian government and the hunting of the species could lead to three years' imprisonment.
In 2019 a man was charged $US11,000 for hitting and damaging the shell of a giant Galapagos Tortoise.
Floating power plant due to arrive in New Caledonia
The Nickel Society in New Caledonia is about to welcome its new floating factory, the first of its kind in the south Pacific on Saturday.
The floating powership is a special-purpose vessel on which a power plant is installed to serve as a power-generating resource.
The factory, which will replace a 50-year-old factory and bring greener energy production, has been shipped from Turkey.
American Samoan governor urges mutual respect
American Samoa Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga has urged delegates to the constitutional convention that they must maintain mutual respect in their deliberations and discussions.
He said if they ignore this there will be no foresight and wisdom In their debate.
The Governor also emphasised the motto of American Samoa, "God first" and urged delegates to pray to God to enlighten their minds and hearts as they go about their task of reviewing the constitution.
The United States assistant secretary Carmen Cantor told delegates the Biden administration is committed to equality and fairness for every American.
She assured American Samoans of support as the seismic activity in Manu'a continues.
Also on her visit, Cantor announced $US389,000 towards restoring ecosystems and land in American Samoa ruined by tsunami in 2009.
This includes restoring wetland areas, mangrove forests, agriculture and horticulture.
The funding is part of the United States Government's $US1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to build up and restore infrastructure.
A total of $US1.4 billion of the budget is allocated towards ecosystem restoration.
Appeal of Temaru and others deferred for fifth time
In French Polynesia, the appeal of three men who were convicted of exercising undue influence has been deferred for a fifth time.
In 2019, the pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru and two others were given suspended prison sentences and fines after being convicted for exercising undue influence over funding for a community station, Radio Tefana, for political gain.
Oscar Temaru Photo: RNZI/Monica Miller
This is the fifth deferral of the appeal, which will now be heard next February at the earliest.
The integrity of the entire process is being challenged because the prosecutor, Herve Leroy, had opened a new case against Temaru before the appeal had been heard.
Leroy ordered the seizure of his savings of $US100,000 after alleging that the defence lawyers had been unduly paid their fees by the town administration of Faa'a where Temaru had been mayor.
Temaru then took Leroy to court for portraying him as guilty although the appeal case had not yet been heard.
The move by Leroy is still being examined, with the appeal court agreeing that the case needs to wait until the legality of the fund seizure has been established.
After being convicted in 2019, Temaru said he was being punished because in the eyes of France he committed treason by taking French presidents to the International Criminal Court over nuclear weapons tests.
Rurutu receiving optic fibre cable
The French Polynesia island of Rurutu is having a new optic fibre cable installed.
Technicians are currently on Rurutu installing the cable which cost $US127 million.
The French Polynesian government is paying $US3 million of the cost of the cable.
The cable will be operational around early 2023.
The cable will bring fast internet linking Tahiti Island with the Austral islands of Rurutu and Tubuai.